Material inserting machinery



Oct. 12, 1954 H. E. GANTZER 2,691,473

MATERIAL INSERTING MACHINERY Filed Jan. 25, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Jizuarr] E 622?? 6'7 Oct. 12, 1954 H. E. GANTZER MATERIAL INSERTING MACHINERY 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23 1951 JNVENTOR. waraE Gard :76?

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MATERIAL INSERTING MACHINERY Filed Jan. 23 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 1151062742 3? Gan? BY I\ Oct. 12, 1954 H. E. GANTZER MATERIAL INSERTING MACHINERY 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 Filed Jan. 23, 1951 INVENTOR. jfawardif. arzf er' Oct. 12, 1954 H. E. GANTZ ER MATERIAL INSERTING MACHINERY 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 23, 1951 INVENTOR. zbwarai? 6227213 62 Oct. 12, 1954 GANTZER 2,691,473

MATERIAL INSERTING MACHINERY Filed Jan. 23 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. JibwaraE 6'0??? er Patented Oct. 12, 1954 2,691,473 MATERIAL INSERTING MACHINERY Howard E. Gantzer,

Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to Consolidated Packaging Machinery Corporation, Bufialo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 23, 1951, Serial No. 207,363

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in machines for inserting individual lengths of fibrous material such as cotton into the necks of partially filled bottles and particularly seeks to provide a novel machine of this general type which is adapted to perform the material-inserting operations as the bottles are moved continuously and in which greatly simplified means are provided to break off individual strand lengths from a continuous supply strand of fibrous material.

In my copending application Ser. No. 740,391, filed April 9, 1947, now Patent No. 2,596,813, issued May 13, 1952, and my patent No. 2,501,770, granted March 28, 1950, there are disclosed and claimed machines of this general type in which a strand of fibrous material such as cotton wadding is fed to a transfer wheel and individual lengths of the material are broken off purely by tension and subsequently inserted successively into the necks of successively presented, continuously moved bottles.

A machine constructed in accordance with the present invention is an improvement over those disclosed and claimed in the above mentioned application and patent, particularly with respect to the elimination of a separate transfer wheel for transferring the individual strand lengths from the feeding devices to the material-inserting devices and with respect to the devices by which the individual lengths of fibrous material are broken off from the supply strand.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a machine for the insertion of fibrous materials into the necks of partially filled bottles in which individual lengths of material are separated from a continuous strand thereof without the necessity of employing a knife or other form of edged severing apparatus or without the necessity of employing clamping means as such to hold a supply strand of fibrous material while an individual length portion is being broken therefrom purely by tension.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the separating of an individual length of fibrous material from a continuous supply strand is eifected by parting the individual portion from its supply strand through quickly applied tension.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated having two pairs of strand-feeding wheels normally driven in synchronization at the same peripheral speeds, one pair of which is intermittently stoppable while the other continues to be driven, whereby to efiect the parting of an individual portion from its supply strand through quickly supplied tension.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the feed wheels are positioned immediately adjacent the inserting mechanisms whereby each individual strand length will be automatically projected into operative position with respect to the inserting mechanisms.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawing, the accompanying detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a material-inserting machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view partly in section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail top plan view the motor mount and driving motor;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail end elevation of the motor and mount;

Fig. 5 is a partly sectional fragmentary top plan view and shows in greater detail the mechanisms located in the central portion of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail vertical section taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail vertical section taken along line 1--1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail top plan view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 7 and showing the feed rolls;

Fig. 9 is a partly sectional fragmentary top plan view taken at the level of the main table top and showing the driving connections between the several vertical shafts of the machine;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical transverse section through the turret of the machine;

Fig; 11 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed elevation taken in the area indicated by line II-Il of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a development of the cylindrical turret cams for actuating the inserting elements;

Figs. 13, 14, 15 and 16 sequentially illustrate an operative cycle in tucking an individual strand length into a bottle;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the tucking fingers;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the tucking blades; and

Fig. 19 is an enlarged detailed side elevational view showing the manner in which the tucking fingers are pivotally mounted on their supporting rods.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the invention as illustrated is embodied in a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous material strand into necks of partly filled bottles and includes a base A, a fibrous material strandseparating and -feeding mechanism generally indicated at B, a turret assembly generallyindicated at C for performing the material-inserting operations, an intake and discharge conveyor generally indicated at D, and a container generally indicated at E which holds a continuous supply of stranded fibrous material F such as cotton wadding. I

The base A carries all of the driving mechanisms of the machine and includes a motor 5 adjustably mounted on a rod 6 and operably connected to a drive shaft 1 through the medium of belt and pulley connections generally indicated at 8. The shaft 1 drives the turret assembly C through the medium of worm and gear connections 9 and I6 (see Fig. 9). It will be noted that the worm gear l is journalled on a main turret spindle rigidly carried by the main frame. A gear Ila having hub extending through and slightly above the table top is also journalled on the main spindle II and overlies the worm gear i6 and is rigidly connected thereto for rotation therewith. The gear Ila is operably connected to an input star wheel shaft l2 through gears i3 and M. A similar set of gears l5 and I6 operably connect the gear Ila with a shaft ll upon which a discharge star wheel is adapted to be mounted and which provides a source of power for the strand-separating and -feeding mechanism B. It will be noted that the gear Ho and the shaft l2 rotate at the same speed and that the gear ratios between the gear Na and the shaft ll are such that the shaft ll rotates two revolutions for each revolution of the gear Ha.

A pair of upper and lower star wheels l8, l8 are rigidly affixed to the shaft |2. Each star wheel I8 is provided with four bottle-receiving pockets so that individual bottles may be moved through an arcuate path from the intake portion of the conveyor D to operative association with the mechanisms of the turret C. A guide plate is is aflixed to the top of the base A in parallelism therewith and supports the strandseparating and -feeding mechanism B.

The continuous strand F of cotton wadding is adapted to be withdrawn from its container E by the mechanisms B which are mounted on the base A and operatively connected to the shaft l2. These mechanisms include a pair of mounting plates 20, 2t separated by spacers 2| and secured as by bolts 22 to upstanding studs 23 rigidly affixed to the top of the base A and to the guide plate I9 (see Figs. 5, 6 and '1).

The upper end of the star wheel shaft I2 is journalled in a bearing 24 mounted in a pro jection of the uppermost plate 20. A gear 25 is keyed to the shaft l2 above the bearing 24 and meshes with a pinion gear 25 having an upstanding hub 21 and rotatably carried by an upstanding stub shaft 28 afiixed to the upper plate 29. A gear 29 of somewhat larger diameter than the pinion 28 is rotatably carried by the stub shaft 28 and is positioned immediately under the pinion and is caused to rotate with the pinion by means of a pin connection 3|) extending therebetween.

The gear 29 meshes with a gear 3| (see Figs. 5 and '7) freely mounted on the upper part 32 of a flanged vertical shaft having a lower part 33 journalled between the plates 20, 20 through the medium of spaced bearings 34, 34. Another gear 35 is mounted on the shaft portion 32' and pin connected to the flange thereof below the gear 3| and is spaced from the gear 3| by a friction washer 35. A ratchet wheel 3'! is keyed to the upper end of the shaft portion 32 for limited axial sliding movement therealong and is spaced from the gear 3| by a'friction washer 38.

An adjusting screw 39 carrying a washer 40 is threadably engaged in the end of the upper shaft portion 32. A compression spring 4| extends between the washer 48 and the upper face of the hub of the ratchet wheel 31. By this means the frictional drag between the gear 3| and the gear 35 and the ratchet wheel 31 may be adjusted.

As seen in Figs. 5, 7 and 8 of the drawings the outer edges of the plate 2|], 2c are slotted to receive sets of bearing blocks 42, 42. The blocks 42 are yieldably retained in the slots as by a yoke 43 and adjustable compression spring means generally indicated at 44. A shaft 45 is journalled in one set of bearing blocks 42 and is provided in its upper end with a gear 48 which is the same diameter as and meshes with the gear 35 on the shaft 32. A knurled or fluted feed roll. 41 is affixed to the shaft 45 between plates 2B, 2B and cooperates with a similar feed roll 48 afiixed to the depending shaft portion 33. The rolls 4'! and 48 together constitute the rear pair of feed rolls and are intermittently stoppable, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

A shaft 49 is journalled in the other set of bearing blocks 42 and is provided at its upper end with a gear 50 of the same diameter as the gear 46 mentioned above. A knurled or fluted feed roll 5| is amxed to the shaft 129 between the plates 20, 28 and cooperates with a similar feed roll 52 affixed to a shaft 53 journalled in suitable bearings carried by the plates 20, 28. The upper end of the shaft 53 is provided with a gear 54 having the same diameter as the gear 5|! and meshes therewith. The gear 54 also meshes with the gear 29 in order to continuously drive the forward feed rolls 5| and 52.

Means are provided to intermittently stop rotation of the rear pair of feed rolls 4! and 48 while permitting the forward pair of feed rolls 5| and 52 to continue to rotate to thereby effect the parting or separating of individual lengths of cotton wadding from the strand F thereof solely through tension. These means include a pawl or detent arm 55 pivotally connected at its inner end to a stub shaft 56 secured to the upper plate 20 and having its outer end engageable with the ratchet wheel 37. The arm 55 is provided intermediate its ends with an upstanding boss 5? which rotatably carries a roller cam follower 58 at its upper end. A stud 59 is secured to the upper plate 20 and carries a compression spring 50 extending between it and the adjacent part of the arm 55 to thereby constantly urge the outer end of the arm towards engagement with the ratchet wheel 3?. A two-piece adjustable plate cam BI is adjustably secured to the upstanding hub 2'! of the gear 26 and is engaged by the cam follower 58 of the detent arm 55. Thus when the cam follower 58 is riding on a high lift portion of the cam 6| the outer end of the detent arm 55 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 31 and the rear feed rolls are driven through the gear train- 25, 26, 29, 3|, 35 and '46. Conversely, when the follower 58 is riding on a low lift portion of the cam 66 the outer end of the detent arm becomes engaged with the ratchet wheel 31 to stop rotation of the shaft 32-33 and the feed rolls 4? and 48. Since the gear 3| is relatively rotatable with respect to the shaft portion 32 it will continue to be driven through the above-mentioned gear train even though the shaft 32 is stopped. Of course, when the detent arm 55 is again disengaged from the ratchet wheel 31 under the influence of the cam GI-the frictional driving connections between the gears 3| and 35 and the ratchet wheel 3! become effective to again cause rotation of the shaft 3233 and the rear feed rolls l? and 48.

As an individual strand length leaves theforward feed rolls 5| and 52 it is projected into a short guide member 62 carried by the plates 25, 25 and tangentially overlying the path of travel of the pockets of the starwheel I8 for subsequent downward insertion into the neck of a bottle positioned thereunder. It may be noted from Fig. 5 of the drawings thatthe movement of the strand F through both pairs of feed rolls and into l8 and to the corresponding pockets in the turret assembly C.

The turret assembly C includes a turret wheel or plate generally indicated at 53 journalled on the main spindle II and removably affixed to the upper end of the hub of the driving gear Ila. The wheel 63 is elongated hub or sleeve 64 terminating at its lower end in a shoulder portion 55, providing a peripheral ledge 56 for the support of bottles into which wadding is to be inserted. An annular segmented plate type star wheel 6'! having four peripheral pockets is removably affixed to the shoulder portion 55 of the turret wheel and the pockets are shaped to conform to the body configuration of containers or bottles upon which the work functions are to be performed. A similar star wheel es having four pockets in registry with the pockets of the star wheel 61 is removably aifixed to a mounting sleeve 69 which is in turn removably secured to the upstanding sleeve portion M of the turret wheel. The pockets of the upper star wheel 58 are shaped to conform to the neck portions of the bottles and this star wheel is disposed in spaced relation to the star wheel 67. A lower spindle plate It! provided with a depending sleeve II is slidably carried by the upstanding sleeve portion 54 of the turret wheel and is prevented from angular movement with respect thereto through the medium of suitable slideway and key connections. The central portion of the upper face of the spindle plate I is eounterbored to provide a recess into which a thrust bearing I2 mounted on the main spindle I l is set. An upper spindle plate I3 is journalled on the main spindle I I and maintained in spaced relation with respect to the lower spindle plate 10 as by suitable stay bolts (not shown) and a cylindrical casing 14 formed from sheet material or the like. It will be appreciated that the turret wheel '53, the star wheels 67 and 58, and the upper and lower spindle plates 13 and I0 all rotate as a unit under the influence oi the driven gear Ila.

Mechanisms are carried between the upper and lower spindle plates I3 and Ill for first effecting an initial tucking of an individual length of cotton wedding into the neck of a bottle and then effecting a lateral displacement of portions of the cotton to positions underlying the shoulders of the bottle into which the cotton has been inserted. To this end the turret assembly is provided with four sets of mechanisms (corresponding to the number of pockets of the star wheels and 68) which are identical in structure.

provided with an upstanding 6 Accordingly, for convenience herein a detailed description. will be made of only one of these assemblies, and it will be appreciated that the remainder are alike.

A vertically reciprocable plunger or rod I5 is supported in suitable bearings in the upper and lower spindle plates 13 and it and is provided at its lower end with clamping means 16 for releasably holdin a tucking blade TI. The upper end of the plunger or rod 15 projects sufiiciently far above the plane of the upper spindle plate I3 that it cannot become accidentally disengaged from support therein. The central portion of the rod 15 is provided with an adjustably positionedcast ing '18 slidably carried thereon and releasably secured as through the use of a clamping bolt 19. The inner face of the casting 18 is provided with a roller cam follower which is adapted to engage a cylinder cam Bl secured on the main spindle l l as by an elongated hub portion 82 and restrained against relative angular movement with respect thereto as through suitable key and slideway conections and/or by set screws. The cam BI in turn carries a second cylinder cam 33 secured thereto as through clamp plates and bolt connections indicated at 84.

respectively, which are movably carried by, the spaced upper and lower spindle plates :73 and It in a manner similar to'the plunger or rod i5. Each rod 8-5 is provided with a casting 8! having a lateral projection 88 grooved to slidably engage the rod 15 in order that relative angular rotation of the rod cannot take plate, but at the same time permitting vertical reciprocatory motion. The castin it; carried by the rod 15 is provided with a pair of oppositely extending lugs 89 through which the rods 85 and 86 extend. The rod 85 is provided with a casting 90 similar to the stantly to bias the tucking finger towards the right, as viewed in Figs. 15 and 16 of the drawings. is provided with The upper and-lovvr spindle plates I3 and I0 assigns together with their'associated mechanisms are vertically adjustable along the mainspindle II with respect to the turret wheel 63 in order that the machine may be usable in connection with successive runs of bottles of different heights. To this end one side of the elongated hub 64 of the turret wheel 63 is provided with a longitudinal groove into which is vertically afiixed a rack 99. That portion of the depending sleeve II of the lower spindle plate In which is in proximity to the rack 89 is provided with an offset lug portion IN! into which is journalled a vertically disposed shaft 1 DI provided on its lower end with a worm gear IE2 engageable with the rack 99 and provided on its upper end with a bevel gear Hi3. The bevel gear IE3 meshes with a bevel gear Hi l carried on a horizontally disposed shaft H15 journalled in a lug Hi6 depending from the lower spindle plate I0. The outer end of the shaft I95 is squared as at I01 to provide a surface which can be engaged by awrench or by a suitably proportioned hand wheel to effect rotation thereof. Ro-

tation of the shaft I will cause a similar movement of rotation of the shaft HM and its associated worm gear I82 to eifect relative longitudinal sliding movement between the hub '64 of the turret wheel and the depending sleeve H of the spindle plate assembly to vary the vertical distance between the turret wheel and the spindle plate assembly. Prior to any actual vertical adjustment in this manner it will be necessary to release any set screws which may be employed in the hub 82 of the cylinder cam 85 in order that the thrust bearing 12 together with the cylinder cam assembly may be slidably pushed alongthe main spindle II when the vertical adjustment is made.

Bottles or containers into which individual lengths of cotton wadding are to be inserted are fed into and discharged from the machine through the conveyor D which is a straight-line conveyor extending across the front of the machine and essentially comprises a conveyor belt or chain 38 carried upon suitable pulleys or sprocket wheels (not shown) and driven through the medium of suitable power connections such as by a power take-off (not shown) from the vertical shaft I1. A pair of spaced guide rails )9, 39 are adjustably supported in a position overlying the conveyor belt I08 as through the medium of a plurality of supporting lug-s II ii which are in turn carried by a vertically disposed, horizontally extending main conveyor mormting plate HI (see Fig. 1 of the drawings).

Container feed control means generally indicated at H2 are associated with the intake portion of the conveyor D in a position immediately ahead of the input star wheels 18, I8. The feed control mechanism comprises a mounting bracket H3 secured to a stationary part of the conveyor D in which is journalled a vertically disposed shaft H4 carrying on its lower end a sprocket gear I I5 which is operatively connected to a similar sprocket gear (not shown) secured to the depending portion of the vertical shaft I2 as by a sprocket chain H6. An arm H1 is pivotally carried by the shaft H4 and rotatably supports a multiple pocket star wheel III) on a shaft H9 which is driven from the shaft I I4 through suitable sprocket chain and gear connections (not shown). It will be appreciated that the linear speed of advance of the conveyor belt I08 and the rotative speed of the star wheel H8 are so regulated with respect to the speed of rotation of the'star wheels I8, I8 that each container relow lift portion thereof leased from a pocket of the star wheel H8 will be received into a pocket of the spaced star wheels I8, I8 in properly timed relation. After each bottle has passed from the intake section of the conveyor D and through the turret mechanism C it is discharged from the star wheel pocket of the turret mechanism into engagement with a final two-pocket discharge wheel I20 secured to the upstanding portion of the shaft I'I. It will be understood that the two-pocket star wheel i20 rotates twice for each revolution of the turret assembly C in order properly to remove bottles from each of the four pockets of the turret assembly star wheels.

In order that the bottles may be individually directed through their proper arcuate paths of travel from one machine portion to the other after they leave the entrance section of the conveyor D until they return to the discharge section of the conveyor the guide plate I9 has been provided. It is secured in spaced relation to the top of the base A and overlies the midportion of the conveyor and the adjacent part of the base top. One edge portion of the plate I9 is curved to conform with the radius 'of curvature of the spaced star wheels It, and the opposite edge portion of the plate I9 is curved to conform withthe radius of curvature of the discharge star wheel I20. That portion of the plate I9 adjacent the turret assembly is suitably contoured to provide clearance with respect to the turret assembly. Thus the curved end portions of the plate I9 together with the associated star wheels define ai'cuate paths of travel or guideways in which the individual containers are directed. The turret assembly C is provided with arcuate guide means, spaced around the star wheels 61 and 68 thereof and comprising an arcuate guide rail I2I carried by a pair of horizontally disposed, radially extending supporting studs I22, I22 adjustably supported on brackets I23 through the medium of adjusting knobs IN, threadably engaged on the outer ends of the studs I22 and yieldably biased against upstanding portions of the brackets I23 as by compression springs I25.

While the operation of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention should be readily apparent fromthe foregoing description it is believed that a clearer understanding of the invention may be had if one complete cycle of operation is described. A line of partially filled bottles into which individual pieces of cotton wadding are to be inserted is supplied to the intake end of the conveyor D. The leading bottle of the solidline is engaged within a pocket of the feed control star wheel H8 which effects a spacing of the leading bottle from the remainder and permits it tobe fed inproperly timed relation along the conveyor D until it abuts the leading arcuate edge portion of the guide plate I9 at which time the bottle simultaneously becomes engaged by registering pockets of the spaced star wheels I8, I8. As viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings the star wheels I8 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction. As the bottle is being moved under the influence of the star wheels I8 the rear'pair of feed rolls 41 and 48 and the front pair of feed rolls 5| and 52 are constantly driven to withdraw the strand F of cotton wadding from its container E. As the bottle-containing pockets of the star wheels I8 approach registry with the strand guide member 62 the cam BI in the feed mechanism is rotated to a position in which the roller cam follower 58 is engaged on a and the outer arm of the pawl or detent 55 is engaged with the ratchet wheel 3! to thereby stop rotation of the front feed rolls 4? and 48. This permits continued feed movement of the feed rolls 5| and 52 to thereby part purely by tension an individual length of wadding from the continuous strand F thereof and to project the individual length of wadding into engagement between the two sections of the guide member 62.

At the same time the turret assembly has been rotating in a clockwise direction and at the instant the bottle under the control of the star wheels I8 comes into registry beneath the individual piece of cotton wadding as described above, registering pockets of the turret star wheels El and 68 engage with the bottle to move it through an arcuate path against the restraining influence of the guide IZI. Simultaneously with the engagement of the bottle by registering pockets of the star wheels 61 and G8 the rod or plunger 15 commences its downward motion under control of the cylinder cam BI. The tucking blade 'II carried by the plunger 15 is engaged with the individual length of cotton wadding as it rests between the elements of the guide member 62 and displaces it downwardly into the open neck portion of the bottle which, of course, is in registry therebelow.

By reference to Figs. 12 through 16 of the drawings it will be seen that continued rotation of the turret assembly will cause the tucking blade 71 and the tucking fingers 95, 95 to partake of subsequential strand-tucking operations, as particularly illustrated in Figs. 13 through 16, inclusive.

After the individual length of wadding has been thus completely tucked into the upper portion of the bottle the main turret assembly has rotated to a point when the bottle-engaging pockets of the star wheels 61 and 68' have reached a position substantially in tangential contact with a corresponding pocket in the discharge star wheel I20. The star wheel I213 thereupon becomes eifective in cooperation with the arcuate guiding edge of the plate I9 to remove the completely filled bottle from the turret and to again place it on the conveyor D at the discharge section thereof in alignment between the spaced guides I09, I09.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that by having the feed mechanism control cam 6| made as a two-piece adjustable plate cam variations in length of the individual pieces of wadding can be readily effected and proper synchronization of feeding and strand-parting operations of the feeding mechanism can be effected by proper angular adjustment of the plate cam with respect to its mounting shaft 28.

Thus it will be seen that the invention herein disclosed'provides anovel machine for the automatic insertion of individual lengths of cotton wadcling into the necks of successively presented bottles while the bottles are moved continuously without interruption through work performing portions of the machine; in which individual lengths of the cotton wadding are separated from the continuous strand thereof automatically and purely through the use of suddenly applied tension; in which the individual lengths of cotton wadding after having been parted from the continuous strand are automatically in registry with and overlie the neck portion of a bottle and underlie the tucking mechanism; in which strand-in- Serting and cking mechanisms are performed immediately after the parting of an individual strand length from its continuous strand without requiring any supplemental transfer devices;

10 in which the lateral displacement of portions of the wadding in the bottle is eifected in first one direction and then the opposite direction in order that manipulation of the wadding may be more easily efiected; and which is simple in design and rugged in construction.

It is, of course, to be understood that various details of arrangements and proportions of parts may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous packing material into neck portions of containers, means for withdrawing a continuous strand of material from a supply thereof, means for parting purely by tension individual lengths of material from the continuous strand thereof and for projecting each such length into direct position for immediate insertion into the neck of an associated container, means for successively moving individual containers through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, and means for efiecting the insertion of each strand length into the associated container.

2. In a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous packing material into neck portions of containers, a rear pair of feed rolls for withdrawing a continuous strand of material from a supply thereof, a front pair of feed rolls for further [feeding said strand, means to drive both pairs of feed rolls, means for periodically stopping said rear pair of feed rolls whereby to cause said front pair of feed rolls to part purely by tension successive individual lengths of material from said continuous strand and to project said individual lengths successively into direct position for immediate insertion into the necks of successively presented containers, means for successively moving individual containers through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, and means for effecting the insertion of each strand length into its associated container.

3. In a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous material into the necks of bottles, a main frame, a rear pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame for withdrawing a continuous strand of material from a supply thereof, a front pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said rear feed rolls, means to drive both pairs of feed rolls, means for periodically stopping said rear pair of feed rolls whereby to cause said front pair of feed rolls to part purely by tension successive individual lengths of material from said continuous strand and to-project said individual lengths into direct position for immediate insertion into the necks of successively presented bottles, means for successively moving individual bottles through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, a continuously rotating turret supported on said main frame and located adjacent said feed rolls in such position that material-inserting devices carried thereby will pass through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, material-inserting devices carried by said turret and operative to move each said individual strand length from its projected position into the neck of an associated bottle, and continuously operating means for withdrawing successively packed bottles from said turret.

4. In a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous material into the hacks of bottles, a main frame, a rear air of feed rolls mounted on said main frame for withdrawing a continuous strand of material from a supply thereof, a front pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said rear feed rolls, one roll of each pair of feed rolls being yieldably biased toward the other, means to drive both pairs of feed rolls, means for periodically stopping said rear pair of feed rolls whereby to cause said front pair of feed rolls to part purely by'tension successive individual lengths of material from said continuous strand and to project said individual lengths into direct position for immediate insertion into the necks of successively presented bottles, means for successively moving individual bottles through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, a continuously rotating turret supported on said main frame and located adjacent said feed rolls in such position that material-inserting devices carried thereby will pass through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, material-inserting devices carried by said turret and operative to move each said individual strand length from its projected position into the neck of an associated bottle, and continuously operating means for withdrawing successively packed bottles from said turret.

5. In a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous material into the necks of bottles, a main frame, a rear pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame for withdrawing a continuous strand of material from a supply thereof, a front pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said rear feed rolls, means to drive both pairs of feed rolls, cam controlled means for periodically stopping said rear pair of feed rolls whereby to cause said front pair of feed rolls to part purely by tension successive individual lengths of material from said continuous strand and to project said individual lengths into direct position for immediate insertion into the necks of successively presented bottles, means for successively moving individual bottles through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, a continuously rotating turret supported on said main frame and located adjacent said feed rolls in such position that material-inserting devices carried thereby will pass through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, material-inserting devices carried by said turret and operative to move each said individual strand length from its projected position into the neck of an associated bottle, and continuously operating means for withdrawing successively packed bottles from said turret.

6. In a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous material into the necks of bottles, a main frame, a rear pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame for withdrawing a continuous strand of material from a supply thereof, a front pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said rear feed rolls, one roll of each pair of feed rolls being yieldably biased toward the other, means to drive both pairs of feed rolls, cam controlled means for periodically stopping said rear pair of feed rolls whereby to cause said front pair of feed rolls to part purely by tension successive individual lengths of material from said continuous strand and to project said individual lengths into direct position for immediate insertion into the necks of successively presented bottles, means for successively moving individual bottles through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, a continuously rotating turret supported on said main frame and located adjacent said feed rolls in such position that material-inserting devices carried thereby will pass through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, material-inserting devices carried by said turret and operative to move each said individual strand length from its projected position into the neck of an associated bottle, and continuously operating means for withdrawing successively packed bottles from said turret.

7. In a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous material into the necks of bottles, a main frame, a rear pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame for withdrawing a continuous strand of material from a supply thereof, a front pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said rear feed rolls, means to frictionally drive said rear pair of feed rolls, means to positively drive said front pair of feed rolls, cam controlled detent means for periodically stopping said rear feed rolls whereby to cause said front pair of feed rolls to part purely by tension successive individual lengths of material from said continuous strand and to project said individual lengths into direct position for immediate insertion into the necks of successively presented bottles, and means for effecting the insertion of each strand length into its associated bottle.

8. In a machine for inserting individual lengths of fibrous material into the necks of bottles,

a main frame, a rear pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame for withdrawing a continuous strand of material from a supply thereof, a front pair of feed rolls mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said rear feed rolls, means to frictionally drive said rear pair of feed rolls, means to positively drive said front pair of feed rolls, means for periodically stopping said, rear feed rolls whereby to cause said front pair of feed rolls to part purely by tension suc cessive. individual lengths of material from said continuous strand and to protect said individual lengths into direct position for immediate insertion into the necks of successively presented bottles, means for successively moving individual bottles through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, a continuously rotating turret supported on said main frame and located adjacent said feed rolls in such position that material-inserting devices carried thereby will pass through a position in registry with said projecting strand length, material-inserting devices carried by said turret and operative to move each said individual strand length from its projected position into the neck of an associated bottle, and continuously operating means for withdrawing successively packed bottles from said turret.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,353,613 Renton Sept. 21, 1920 2,501,770 Gantzer Mar. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 334,107 Great Britain Aug. 28, 1930 

